From the high-pressure hallways of NBC Universal to the executive suites of the Hallmark Channel, Angie Polk ’06 has spent 17 years proving that kindness and tenacity are the ultimate creative catalysts. Now, as the founder of Simply Believe Creative, she is returning to her professional passion: identifying authentic voices and bringing feel-good stories to life.
Before she went on to develop over 100 award-winning films and series, Polk was a senior at Elon University, grappling with the same uncertainty some students feel today.
“I was in this place of, ‘Oh my God, what am I going to do?'” she said.
She remembers a moment of doubt during her final year when Professor Emeritus Rich Landesberg provided the “tough love” she needed to move forward.
“He kept saying, ‘Just pick. You’re going to be fine. No matter what, you’re going to land on your feet.’ I really needed that at the time,” Polk said.
That foundation was built primarily within the School of Communications, where Polk, a broadcast communications major, found a safe space to test her leadership skills. She points to a producing class taught by Assistant Professor Ray Johnson as a key turning point where the details of the profession finally clicked. Johnson tasked her with being the executive producer for the class, a role that involved managing her peers and overseeing a project from concept to delivery.
“It was so much work, but I loved it,” she said. “You just realize how many people are leaning on you.”
She credits Johnson’s ability to “put on a show” in the classroom as a major inspiration for her own leadership style, teaching her that engagement and enthusiasm are just as important as technical skills.
“He was so good at his job… I think about him often,” she said.
Upon graduation, Polk’s preparation was put to the test when she was accepted into the prestigious NBC Page Program in New York City. Moving from the college environment of Elon to the fast-paced world of NBC required a quick adjustment. She rotated through high-stakes assignments, including “The Today Show,” the US Open, and Syfy publicity, a journey that required her to adapt to a more rigorous schedule, one that demanded the fundamental discipline of the network.
“I used to be a very late person,” she admitted. “But I got it out of my system because of the Page Program. Elon prepared me for the presence, how to present yourself well and dress the part, but the Page Program taught me the discipline.”
Her trajectory eventually led her to Los Angeles and the Hallmark Channel for 12 years, where she rose to the position of vice president of development and programming. In this role, she oversaw the production of up to 30 projects annually, yet she never lost sight of the “human-centric” focus she cultivated at Elon. Polk made it a priority to increase diversity and inclusion within the network’s programming, working to amplify diverse voices to ensure that Hallmark’s signature films reflected a broader range of the human experience. She describes herself as a kindness-first connector, a philosophy that has allowed her to attract top-tier talent and build lasting relationships with writers and agents across the industry.
Now, as she leads Simply Believe Creative, Polk is focused on catalyzing original romantic comedies and holiday films for the modern streaming market. Even from her home in California, she remains deeply connected to the campus where her journey began. She notes with a smile that she still sees familiar faces in the Elon news, including former classmates who have returned to the university in leadership roles.
Her advice to the next generation of Phoenix is a reflection of her own resilient path.
“Go after the things that scare you and push right through the fear to do them anyway,” she said.
“Take on as many projects as you can, but do them to the absolute best of your ability. Stay curious… the yeses always come,” she said.
Do you know an alum who has an interesting story to tell? Please feel free to share your feedback or those stories online: elon.edu/u/advancement/alumni-in-action-feedback/.